Former Kentucky and Ohio State offensive lineman and recent UNLV transfer Ben Christman was found dead on Tuesday in an off-campus apartment in Las Vegas. He was 21.
Christman had transferred to UNLV over the offseason after two years at Kentucky. He played in 12 games for the Wildcats over 2023 and 2024.
“Our team’s heart is broken to hear of Ben’s passing,” UNLV coach Dan Mullen said in a statement. “Since the day Ben set foot on our campus a month ago, he made the Rebels a better program. Ben was an easy choice for our Leadership Committee as he had earned the immediate respect, admiration and friendship of all his teammates. Our prayers go out to his family and all who knew him. Ben made the world a better place and he will be missed.”
Before arriving at Kentucky, Christman was on Ohio State’s roster for two seasons. He redshirted during 2021 and appeared in one game in 2022.
The Ohio native was a four-star recruit from Richfield. He was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the state of Ohio and the No. 12 offensive tackle recruit in the class of 21. He was also the No. 90 recruit in the country.
Christman picked UNLV in December after the school had hired Mullen to replace Barry Odom. UNLV went to the Mountain West title game during the 2024 season and that success helped get Odom the head coaching job at Purdue.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of Ben Christman, a new member of our football program and UNLV community,” UNLV athletic director Erick Harper said. “Ben recently joined us as a transfer student and had already made a meaningful impact on his teammates and coaches. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time.”
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